Mine car



March l4, 1944. R. A. SHIELDS MINE CAR File d Oct. 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 14, 1944 MINE CAR Robert A. Shields, Bloomsburg, Pa... assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, 'N. Y.. a corporation of New Jersey Application ctobe'r2'7, 1942, Serial 'No. 463,481

6 Claims.

This invention relates to mine cars in general and in particular to end dumping mine cars for automatic handling in'dumping cages or on tilting platform.

The bulk of end dumping mine cars operating on tilting platforms or in self-dumping cages have had their end doors or gates released manually. Such operation is extremely slow and requires the service of a man at the dumping station. The manual release of the gates must be accomplished before the car is tilted, with the result that a considerable quantity of coal'or other material is discharged onto the floor of the cage or platform before the car has been tilted sufficiently to properly dischargethe material into the receiving bin or chute. Attempts have been made to produce automatically dumping cars but most of these attempts have resulted in failure due to one cause or another. Cars constructed with latches projecting to the side of the car were soon rendered inoperative due to bending of the latches by trackside obstructions. Latches mounted at the center of the door were not positive and in certain cases would hang on the tripping arrangement and lift the car from the cage or platform and allow the entire car to jam in the chute or discharge bin, thereby tying up the entire mine operation. It is an object, therefore of the present invention to provide an automatically operating latch for mine cars adapted to be discharged by a self-dumping cage orlby a tilting platform.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mine car of the end dump type having automatically operating latches located Wholly within the clearance limits of the car and operable by trackside means during tilting of the car.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an end dumping mine car with automatic latches which are pulled out of their keepers to' release the gate and swing into the keeper to lock the gate. 7

Ayet; further object of the invention is the provision of an end dumping mine car having automatic latches operated by means which positive- 1y disengages the trackside tripping means during dumping of the car and after release of the latches.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent .to persons .skilledin the art from a study of thefollowing description and accompanyin drawings, in which:

.Figure 1.is aside .view of substantially onehalf the car and with parts broken away to better disclose the latch operating construction;

Fig. 2 is an end view showing the end gate and latching mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end View disclosing the latch bars in their two limiting positions, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the latch operating mechanism slightly modified in order that the spring of Figs. 1 to 5 may be eliminated.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be'seen that the improved latch arrangement has been mounted on a mine carof more or less conventional form, having an underframe 2 mounted on wheel and, axle assemblies W andcarrying the car superstructure. The superstructure is formed inthe present case by a floor d resting on the underframe and flanged upwardly at-its sides to receive the side sheets 6 reinforced by vertical stakes 8 and a top roll or chord H). The customary bumpers B and coupling link C are connected to the underframe. At one end of the car the top reinforcement chord [0 has attached thereto upstanding ears I2 adapted to receive a pivot rod Hi upon which the door D is swingably mounted through the medium of straps It. The car as shown in Fig. l is in position on a dumping device formed either as part of a self-dumping cage or a tilting platform. In either case the car is supported upon rails R which in turn are supported upon and turn about an axis A. Forward movement of the *car during tilting is normally prevented by wheel stops S adapted to engage the tread of the wheel adjacent the dumping or end door.

In order to control the swinging movementsof the end door or gate latch keepers I8 are riveted or otherwise secured to the edge of the side wall sheet and end stake adjacent the lower forward corner of the car body. These latch keepers are provided with an upstanding hook portion 20 terminating in an inwardly directed tip 22 (Fig. 1) which is adapted'to retainthe latches against accidental lifting and release of the door. The door or end gate has secured thereto adjacent the lower corners thereof straps 24 forming guides for latch bars 25. The latch bars extend across the door adjacent the lower edge and are of suf- -ficient length so that their outer or free end can engage behind the hooked part '29 and beneath the tip 22 of the latch keepers H3. The inner'end of each latch bar is pivotal-1y connected as at 28 to upwardly and downwardly directed links 36 and 32 respectively. The downwardly directed links are in turn pivotally connected as at 34 to the lower edge of the door, while the upwardly directed links 36 are pivotally connected as at 36 to the lower end of a vertically extending slide 38. This slide 36 has its upper and lower ends formed of flat bars joined together by fiat bars 46 disposed in spaced relation to each other and at right angles to the plane of the first mentioned bars forming the upper and lower ends of the slide. The bars 46 are joined together intermediate their length by a plurality of pins or'rivets 42 equally spaced in order to form a rack. The upper fiat bar of the slideis formed with anelongated slot 44 guided upon a bolt or other means '46 fastened to the door plate, while the lower bar forming the slide is guided for vertical movement by a hous ing 48 also carried by the door or gate. In order.

to control the vertical movements of the slide bar a segmental pinion56 is pivotally mounted on a rod 52 carried .within a housing 54. riveted or otherwise secured to the inner-face of the door or gate. Upon either side of the segmental-pinion 56 operating arms 56 are non-rotatably attached to the segmental gear or pinion and through their movement will directly control the rotational movement of the segmental gear around rod 52 tation of the segmental gear or pinion will through cross pins 42 lift the entire slide 38. Lifting of th slide will cause the jointed links 36 and 32 to move toward the full line position of Fig. 5. This motion will cause pivots 28 to lift slightly but with the main motion being inwardly toward each other, thereby pulling the latch bars 26 substantially horizontally and out of engagement with the latch keepers 18, During the motion above described the operating arms 56 have rotated to such an extent that they assume a position as shown by line and dash in Fig. 1. At this tim they wipe oil of the tripping fingers 86 and The slide is normally held in'a central position 6 with the operating arms 56 substantially'horizontal by means of a sprin 58. This spring has its upper end supported by a ledge 66 fastened to the slide bracket guide 48, while the lower end is hooked and engages beneath a ledge62 welded or otherwise secured to the lower bar forming part of the slide. It is to be noted that the ledge 62 may freely slide vertically upward with respect to the spring but is restrained by the spring in its vertically downward motion from the normal latch position. In most cases the latch bars 26 will have suflicient weight for them to automatically engage the keepers but in some casesit is necessary to add additional bar portions 64, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, in order that the bars will have sufiicient weight to engage the keepers.

The operating arms 56 are adapted to be moved by a tripping arrangement carried by the permanent structure at the dumping station. As clearly shown in the figures and particularly Fig. 1, this tripping mechanism consists of abracket 16 fastened to the permanent structure 72 and carrying a pivotrod 74. Upon this pivot rod is mounted an arm 16 having its lower end biforcated to provide forks 18 terminating in tripping fingers 86. It is, of course, obvious that the arm 16 may be plain or terminate in a single'tripping finger operating exactly as do the spaced tripping fingers 86. The tripping fingers are'constantly and yieldably urged toward the car door or gate by means of a counter weight 82 "connectedto one end of a rope or cable 84 passing over a pulley 36 and being connected tothe upper end of the arm above its pivotal mount 14.

The operation of the device is as follows, as

suming theparts to be in their normal position as shown in full'lines of Figs. 1 and 2: Th carupon reaching the dumping position will hav the operating arms 56 located aboveithetripping fingers 86 and as the car moves downwardly and forwardly to the linefand' double dash position of Figure 1 the tripping fingers will cause the opcrating arms to rotate upwardly about the rod 52. This upward rotation of the operating arms will cause counterclockwise rotation of the segmental gear 56 as viewed in Figure 1. This rodue to the weight of the slide and jointed linkage the entire latch mechanism will return to its normal position as shown in line and double dash position of'Figure 1. As soon as the latch bars 26 have disengaged the keepers I8, the door can swing open for discharge of the lading in the car and this discharge will commence just prior to the release of the operating arms 56 from the tripping fingers 86. As soon as the load is discharged the car will be brought back toward a righted position and in this motion the operating arms 56 will engage beneath the operating fingers 86 and breakage might occur unless a lost motion or its equivalent is provided. During return of the car from dumping to normal position fingers 861will, as stated, engage above the operating arms 56 and as the car continues its righted motion will swing the operating arms down. Downward swinging motion of the operating arms will cause a downward motion of the slide and force the jointed linkage into the line and dash position of Fig. 5. This will stretch the spring 58 and project the latches 26 slightly beyond through true position in the latch keepers. The downward motion of the slide will, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, bring the latch bars to a slightly tilted or upwardly inclined position rocking them around their point of support on guide straps 24, thereby lifting the free end of the latch bars and facilitating their automatic engagement with the keepers l8 as the door slams toward closed position. As

58 will return the entire latch mechanism to its 'normal full line position shown in Fig. 2. It is to be observed that inaccuracies in the location of the tripping fingers or of the tilting platform can be compensated for by adjustment of the segmental pinion 56 on the rack formed by bars 46 and pins 42. Also adjustment to provide for earlier or later release of the door during dumping may likewise betaken care of by adjusting the pinion or gear relative to the rack. Adjustment is readily accomplished by pulling pin 52 and moving the gear in one direction or another andreinserting pin 52.

In some cases it may be desirable to eliminate the tension spring, in which case an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig.6 can be utilized. In this form the slide is prevented from excessive downward motion and the operating arms 56 are held in a substantially horizontal position with 7 their engagement, release and operation during dumping remaining exactly as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5. In this form, however, plates 96 are welded or otherwisesecured to the upper edge of arms 56' and have their front surface inclined as at 92 in order that the tripping fingers will be moved outwardly during the upward motion of the car when beingreturned from dumping to'normal position. Except for this change and the removal of spring 58, the structure will be substantially identical to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and accordingly the same reference numerals have been used wherever possible.

It will be seen that if desired a single tripping finger 83 may be used and if desired a single operating arm 55. It will also be seen that various modifications and rearrangements of parts other than those shown and described may be made and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall Within the scope of the appended claims defining my invention. I

What is claimed is:

i. In combination with apparatus for automatically releasing an end gate and for tilting a car to unload, an end dump mine car comprising car body side walls, an end gate hinged to said side walls, latch mechanism for locking said end gate in closed position and including a latch operator pivotally mounted with respect to the end gate and projecting laterally of the plane thereof to make contact with said releasing apparatus when the car commences tilting movement toward unloading position, said latch operator being rotated upwardly by said releasing apparatus into the plane of the end gate to release the end gate and automatically break contact with the releasing apparatus prior to full tilting of the car into unloaded position.

2. In combination with apparatus for automatically releasing an end gate and for tilting a car to unload, an end dump mine car comprising car body side walls, an end gate hinged to said side walls, latch mechanism, latch bars carried by the gate for locking said end gate in closed position, a slide carried by the gate and vertically movable relative thereto, jointed linkage connecting said slide and latch bars for movement in unison, a latch operator pivotally carried by the gate and having operative engagement with said slide, said latch operator projecting laterally outward from the plane of the gate to make contact with said releasing apparatus when the car commences tilting movement toward unloading position, and said latch operator being rotated into the plane of the end gate by said releasing apparatus thereby moving said slide and latch bars and releasing the end gate and at the same time breaking contact with said releasing apparatus.

3. In combination with apparatus for automatically releasing an end gate and for tilting a car to unload, an end dump mine car comprising car body side walls, an end gate hinged to said side walls, latch mechanism for locking said end gate in closed position and including a latch operator pivotally mounted with respect to the end gate and projecting laterally of the plane thereof to make contact with said releasing apparatus when the car commences tilting movement toward unloading position, said latch operator being rotated upwardly by said releasing apparatus into the plane of the end gate to release the end gate and automatically break contact with the releasing apparatus prior to full tilting of the car into unloaded position, and said latch operator being rotatable downwardly upon contact with said releasing apparatus to clear the same upon return of the car from unloading position.

4. In combination with apparatus for automatically releasing an end gate and for tilting a car to unload, an end dump mine car comprising car body side walls, an end gate hinged to said side walls, latch mechanism for locking said end gate in closed position and including a latch operator pivotally mounted with respect to the end gate and projecting laterally of the plane thereof to make contact with said releasing apparatus when the car commences tilting movement toward unloading position, said latch operator being rotated upwardly by said releasing apparatus into the plane of the end gate to release the end gate and automatically break contact with the releasing apparatus prior to full tilting of the car into unloaded position, and said latch operator being so constructed and arranged as to clear said releasing apparatus upon return of the car from an unloaded position.

5. In a mine car structure the combination of car body walls, an end gate pivotally carried by said walls, keepers carried by the walls adjacent the edges of the gate, latch bars carried by the end gate and engageable with said keepers to lock the gate in closed position, a slide bar carried by the gate and vertically movable relative thereto, means connecting said slide bar and latch bars for movement in unison, a latch operator pivotally carried by the gate and engaging said slide bar to move the same, said latch operator normally projecting laterally of the plane of the gate and being rotatable into the plane of the gate to lift the slide bar and move the latch bars out of engagement with said keepers to release the gate.

6. In a mine car structure the combination of car body walls, an end gate pivotally carried by said walls, keepers carried by the walls adjacent the edges of the gate, latch bars carried by the and gate and engageable with said keepers to lock the gate in closed position, a slide bar car ried by the gate and vertically movable relative thereto, jointed linkage connecting said latch bars, slide bar and gate together for relative movement, an operating arm pivotally carried by the gate and operably connected to said slide bar to move the same, said operating arm normally projecting laterally of the plane of the gate and being rotatable into the plane thereof to thereby lift the slide bar and move the jointed linkage to pull the latch bars out of engagement with said keepers and release the gate for opening.

ROBERT A. SHIELDS. 

